Retaining wall systems

ABSTRACT

A mortar-less retaining wall apparatus is built from of a plurality of masonry blocks, each masonry block having four side walls and two end walls, two or more masonry blocks being abutted on respective side walls, one of the end walls of each masonry block having a mortar-joint simulating reveal portion. One or more of the masonry blocks each has a side wall that tapers from one end wall to the other end wall, thus allowing either straight or curved walls to be built by changing the relative orientation of the tapers of adjoining blocks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to segmented retaining wall systems for soil retention or other environmental or aesthetic uses. In particular, the invention relates to retaining wall systems using masonry blocks to create modules resulting in a random appearance of the face of a retaining wall. While the application primarily is described as a retaining wall, it can also be used as a freestanding seat wall, courtyard garden wall, garden borders and edging, low fencing walls and also as a retaining wall for low wall applications.

Segmented retaining wall systems are commonly used for residential, commercial and governmental projects. Transportation departments and the U.S. Army Corps of engineers routinely use retaining wall systems to retain soil and other structures. These systems can create straight or curved walls and can even be used along shore lines where embankment control is desired.

Segmented retaining wall systems can be comprised of poured slabs, bricks, natural stone, masonry blocks or other components. Individual units can be held together by mortar, other adhesives, gravity, pins, or other fasteners.

Uniform bricks or masonry blocks can provide a stable, durable and attractive retaining wall. However, these walls tend to have a very homogenous and uniform appearance that may not be suitable for every project. Sometimes a more unique randomized retaining wall or landscape is desired.

Natural stone can be used to provide a unique random appearance to a landscape. However, without the use of mortar or some other adhesive/sealant, natural stone retaining walls have poor soil retention properties. Additionally, Natural Stone retaining walls are expensive and cumbersome to construct. It is therefore desired to create a retaining wall system that maintains the unique random quality of a natural stone wall surface, with the structural and soil retention properties, as well as the economic efficiencies, of man-made masonry block walls. It is also desired to create such a retaining wall system without mortar, with the mortar joints being simulated by reveal portions.

Working with masonry blocks of different size affects the securing methods typically used during construction. A mortar-less wall that uses pins to secure masonry blocks would require numerous pins of different sizes corresponding to the size of the particular masonry block. Installers have the burden of keeping track of the appropriate pins and using them accordingly. It is desirable to have a pin-less method that could be used with different sized masonry blocks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A mortar-less retaining wall apparatus is built from of a plurality of masonry blocks, each masonry block having four side walls and two end walls, two or more masonry blocks being abutted on respective side walls, one of the end walls of each masonry block having a mortar-joint simulating reveal portion. One or more of the masonry blocks each has a side wall that tapers from one end wall to the other end wall, thus allowing either straight or curved walls to be built by changing the relative orientation of the tapers of adjoining blocks.

A principle object and advantage of the present invention is that no mortar is needed to construct the wall, the blocks being held together by adhesive.

Another principle object and advantage of the present invention is that mortar-joint simulating reveal portions simulate the appearance of a traditional mortared wall.

Another principle object and advantage of the present invention is that it is constructed out of up to four masonry block types, which can be arranged in panels to randomize the locations of the simulated mortar joints.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 a, 2 a, 3 a, and 4 a are perspective views of masonry blocks of the present invention.

FIGS. 1 b, 2 b, 3 b, and 4 b are end views of masonry blocks of the present invention.

FIGS. 1 c, 2 c, 3 c, and 4 c are plan views of masonry blocks of the present invention.

FIGS. 1 d, 2 d, 3 d, and 4 d are opposite end views of masonry blocks of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of a retaining wall constructed from the masonry blocks.

FIGS. 6 a, 6 d; 7 a, 7 d; 8 a, 8 d; and 9 a, 9 d are elevational views of a panel constructed from the masonry blocks, showing each side of the panel.

FIGS. 6 c, 7 c, 8 c, and 9 c are plan views of the top course of two courses of masonry blocks in the panels.

FIGS. 6 b, 7 b, 8 b, and 9 b are cross-sections through the assembled panel taken at the indicated lines.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention is shown in the drawings by reference numeral 10.

The mortar-less retaining wall apparatus 10 (best seen in FIG. 5) comprises a plurality of masonry blocks 12. As best seen in FIGS. 1 a-1 c, 2 a-2 c, 3 a-3 c, and 4 a-4 c, each masonry block 12 has four side walls 14 and two end walls 16. Two or more of the masonry blocks 12 are abutted on respective side walls 14. One of the end walls of each masonry block has a mortar-joint simulating reveal portion 18. The reveal portion 18 in the finished wall (FIG. 5) gives the appearance of a mortar joint without the use of mortar.

In the preferred embodiment, one of the end walls 16 has a first area 20 and further comprises a raised portion 22 having a second area 24, the second area being less than the first area, thereby creating the mortar-joint simulating reveal portion 18. As best seen in the drawings, the end wall 16 and the raised portion 22 are preferably generally quadrilateral in shape. Also, as shown the end wall 16 and the raised portion 22 preferably abut along a common edge.

As best seen if FIGS. 1 c, 2 c, and 3 c, one or more of the masonry blocks 12 has a side wall 14 a that tapers from one end wall 16 to the other end wall 16. One of the blocks, as shown in FIG. 3 c, has two tapering side walls 14 a, 14 b.

As shown in FIGS. 6 a and 6 b, two of the masonry blocks 12 with tapered sides 14 a can be abutted along the tapered sides, with the tapered sides having opposed tapers, to create a straight wall.

Alternatively, as seen in FIGS. 7 a and 7 b, two of the masonry blocks 12 with tapered sides 14 a can be abutted along the tapered sides, with the tapered sides having matched tapers, to form a curved wall.

FIGS. 1 a-1 d, 2 a-2 d, 3 a-3 d, and 4 a-4 d show four different types of masonry blocks 12 used in the present invention. Three of the four types (FIGS. 1 a-1 d, 2 a-2 d, and 3 a-3 d have a first height H1 (height being defined as the dimension of the masonry block that, when laid in the wall 10, is substantially perpendicular to the top 11 of the wall 10). The fourth masonry block (FIGS. 4 a-4 d) has a second height H2 twice that of the first height H1 (the block shown in FIGS. 4 a-4 d would be rotated 90 degrees clockwise or counterclockwise for insertion in the wall 10). See FIG. 5.

Looking at FIG. 7 a as an example, the apparatus may further comprise a panel 30 of two rows 32, 34 of blocks. Each of the two rows has blocks S and M, for example, of the first height H1 and an end block V of the second height H2. It will be appreciated that many different combinations of the masonry blocks may be used to form such panels 30, as illustrated, without exclusion, in FIGS. 8 a-8 d and 9 a-9 d. Use of various panels can create a random appearance to the mortar-simulating reveal portions, as shown in FIG. 5. Also, the radius of curved walls can be varied depending on the use of the particular blocks, as can be seen by comparing FIGS. 7 c, 8 c, and 9 c. It may be necessary to split or cut various blocks to obtain the desired radius for a curved wall.

The various blocks are attached to each other by adhesive.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although methods and materials similar to or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, suitable methods and materials are described below. All publications, patent applications, patents, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety to the extent allowed by applicable law and regulations. In case of conflict, the present specification, including definitions, will control.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being made to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention. 

1. A mortar-less retaining wall apparatus, comprised of a plurality of masonry blocks, each masonry block having four side walls and two end walls, two or more masonry blocks being abutted on respective side walls, one of the end walls of each masonry block having a mortar-joint simulating reveal portion.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one of the end walls has a first area, and further comprises a raised portion having a second area, the second area being less than the first area, thereby creating the mortar-joint simulating reveal portion.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the end wall and the raised portion are generally quadrilateral in shape.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the end wall and the raised portion abut along a common edge.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more of the masonry blocks each has a side wall that tapers from one end wall to the other end wall.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein two of the masonry blocks with tapered side walls are abutted along the tapered sides, with the tapered sides having opposed tapers, thereby forming a straight wall.
 7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein two of the masonry blocks with tapered side walls are abutted along the tapered sides, with the tapered sides having matched tapers, thereby forming a curved wall.
 8. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising masonry blocks of four different types.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein three of the four types each has a first height and the fourth type has a second height twice that of the first height.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a panel of two rows of blocks, each of the two rows having blocks of the first height and an end block of the second height.
 11. A mortar-less retaining wall apparatus, comprised of a plurality of masonry blocks, each masonry block having four side walls and two end walls, two or more masonry blocks being abutted on respective side walls, wherein one or more of the masonry blocks each has a side wall that tapers from one end wall to the other end wall.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein two of the masonry blocks with tapered side walls are abutted along the tapered sides, with the tapered sides having opposed tapers, thereby forming a straight wall.
 13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein two of the masonry blocks with tapered side walls are abutted along the tapered sides, with the tapered sides having matched tapers, thereby forming a curved wall.
 14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein one of the end walls of each masonry block has a mortar-joint simulating reveal portion.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein one of the end walls has a first area, and further comprises a raised portion having a second area, the second area being less than the first area, thereby creating the mortar-joint simulating reveal portion.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the end wall and the raised portion are generally quadrilateral in shape.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the end wall and the raised portion abut along a common edge.
 18. A mortar-less retaining wall apparatus, comprised of a plurality of masonry blocks, each masonry block having four side walls and two end walls, two or more masonry blocks being abutted on respective side walls, one of the end walls of each masonry block having a mortar-joint simulating reveal portion, and wherein one or more of the masonry blocks each has a side wall that tapers from one end wall to the other end wall.
 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein one of the end walls has a first area, and further comprises a raised portion having a second area, the second area being less than the first area, thereby creating the mortar-joint simulating reveal portion.
 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the end wall and the raised portion are generally quadrilateral in shape.
 21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the end wall and the raised portion abut along a common edge.
 22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein two of the masonry blocks with tapered side walls are abutted along the tapered sides, with the tapered sides having opposed tapers, thereby forming a straight wall.
 23. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein two of the masonry blocks with tapered side walls are abutted along the tapered sides, with the tapered sides having matched tapers, thereby forming a curved wall. 